


One Long Night

by happyaspie



Series: Tony Stark is a Good Mentor [7]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017)
Genre: Even Spider-man Can Get The Flu, Hurt/Comfort, Peter Parked Doesn't Feel So Good, Peter Parker Needs a Hug, Sick Character, Sick Peter Parker, Sickfic, Stomach Ache, Tony Stark Acting as Peter Parker's Parental Figure, Tony Stark Feels, Tony Stark is a Good Mentor, Tony Stark is helping, Vomiting, how is that not a tag?
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-08
Updated: 2019-07-08
Packaged: 2020-05-15 03:30:58
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,339
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19287226
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/happyaspie/pseuds/happyaspie
Summary: Peter 'hypothetically' asked Tony if his Healing Factor is enough to keep him from getting sick.  Tony is skeptical about how 'Hypothetical' the question actually was.  His suspicions are soon confirmed when he ends up with a very sick spiderling on his couch.





	One Long Night

Peter had been coming over to work with Tony for over three months now.  Happy would pick him up from school every other Friday.  Peter would spend the afternoon, all the way up until ten or so working in the lab and eating some sort of take-out before Happy would drive him back home.  From there, Peter would sit at his desk and work on whatever school work he hadn't finished in the car or in the lab while he waited for May to get back from her late shift.

 

Anytime he was working in the lab Peter was generally a ball of enthusiast energy.  Eager to learn, eager to work and generally eager to please.  However, Tony had noticed pretty quickly that on this particular Friday, Peter was spending more time sitting and pensively observing than he was asking his eight hundred questions or running all over the lab working on some sort of project on his own.  In fact, he hadn't even seen the kid take his homework out of his bag yet and it was nearly four.  He was just about to ask the kid if something had happened at school that day when the boy spoke up.  "Hey, Mr. Stark?" 

 

"Yeah, Kid?", He asked, raising his eyes from the wires he'd been soldering. The kid looked, concerned about something. He hoped whatever it was, it was something simple.  He didn't know if he wanted to get caught up in any high-school drama or teenaged romance. 

 

"Do you think my healing factor would prevent me from getting sick?", The boy asked with worry wrinkling over his brow.

 

That could explain it.  If the kid was feeling lousy, of course, he wouldn't be his usual energetic self.  "Why?  You not feeling so good?", Tony asked, trying to sound as casual as possible.

 

Peter's eyes went wide at the question, though Tony wasn't sure why.  It's not like it would be the end of the world if the boy wasn't feeling completely up to par.  "No!  I mean, I'm fine.  I was just thinking about it... Hypothetically... That's all", he said rapidly as he waved his hands in front of himself.

 

Tony sighed.  While he was glad it wasn't some sort of a pubescent 'crisis' question, it was still a question he had no real answer for. "I'm not sure if your healing factor crosses over to your immune system or not.  It's a good question.  I just don't have the answer.", Tony calmly explained and Peter nodded his head in understanding.  He made a point to keep a closer eye on the boy for that point forward.  He wasn't sure about how 'hypothetical' the question really was.

 

At first, all he noticed were a few heavy sighs here and there combined with the boy's reluctance to get up off of the stool he'd seated himself on the moment he'd arrived.  As the hour passed he could see the boy starting to pale.  Occasionally a grimace would cross his face, though it never lasted long enough for Tony to comment on it.  By five, Peter was protectively holding onto his stomach as he sat, though it was clear that he was trying to hide the fact that he was doing so. 

 

Tony had just gotten up off of his own stool to question Peter once more about his well being when the boy hopped up off of the stool, looking miserable.  "I'll be right back, Mr. Stark.", he said, trying to keep his tone as even as possible.

 

"Sure.", Tony replied, as he skeptically watched Peter quickly shuffle towards the restroom.  He waited a full ten minutes before going to investigate.  When he arrived at the closed door, he knocked lightly.  "You alright?", he asked but his only reply was a small whimper.  "I'm coming in okay?"  When Peter gave something of an acknowledgment, Tony cracked the door open to find Peter sitting leaning on the wall beside the toilet looking decidedly green.  He hadn't made it all the way into the room before Peter bolted up to lean over the bowl, heaving.  

 

"Yep, there it is.  I wondered when that would happen.", Tony uttered with as much of a smile as he could muster in that situation. "I guess that answers our question about whether or not you can get sick."   Though, the only response he got was the sound of more, vomit hitting the water.   

 

By the time he'd filled a small paper cup with water and dampened a washcloth Peter was trying to catch his breath. "You good now?", Tony asked before handing over the paper cup.  Peter nodded his head and swished the water around in his mouth.  When he was done with that he leaned himself back heavily against the wall. Tony, in turn, handed him the cloth to clean up his face and reached over to flush away the mess. 

 

"Are you going to send me home?", Peter quietly rasped after a few moments of silence.

 

"And risk you puking in the back of my car?  I don't think so.", Tony answered in mock horror before softening his tone.  "Besides I'm pretty sure you're aunt would have my hide for leaving you home alone while you're sick."

 

Peter rolled his eyes and tried to smile but the action only proved to make his head hurt.  "I'm sixteen, Tony."

 

"Are you?  I was pretty sure you were, like, twelve or something.", Tony teased, taking a seat up on the counter.

 

"Don't make me laugh, Mr. Stark.  ... it hurts.", Peter half whined, half laughed as he brought his hands back around his stomach.

 

"Sorry, Buddy.", Tony replied honestly. He hated that the kid was feeling so awful.   "Think you can get up now?"

 

"Mm-hmm", Peter hummed and took the hand that Tony was now offering to pull him up off the floor.

 

Once he had the kid to his feet, he wavered about what to do with him next.  He'd never actually taken care of a sick person before. Let alone a sick kid. Looking at his watch it was only six so he decided to offer an option.  That seemed reasonable.  "Couch or bed?"

 

"Couch", Peter readily answered and allowed himself to be lead to what turned out to be Tony's living room.  Once there, Tony instructed him to take off his shoes and lay down while he went to fetch him a light blanket.  He was soon wrapped up like a burrito on Tony's couch watching Myth Busters, while the man sat beside him, occasionally asking him if he was okay.

 

At some point, after the first show had ended, Peter sat up and started to whimper slightly as he tried to get untangled from the blanket.  Tony ended up reaching over to help him when he heard the boy start to compulsively swallow.  As soon as he was free, Peter was hurrying down the hall. "I'll be right back.", he called while clutching his stomach. Thankfully Tony'd had the foresight to point out the bathroom door when they'd arrived because he didn't have much time.  

 

Having heard the kid gagging from down the hall, Tony left to grab the small trashcan from beside the desk in his office, returning quickly.  When Peter got back looking more miserable than ever, he felt of his head and had FRIDAY check his temperature.  "Sorry, kid.  I got you a trash can so you don't have to run off like that again.", he said before sighing at the number the AI had read off.  At that point, he was thankful that he'd had some different medications synthesized to meet the needs of Peter's metabolism.  

 

After a quick jaunt to the medical wing to grab the bottle of pills, Tony went to fill a glass with some clear soda.  He set the pills down on the table beside the glass and looked at the sickly kid snuggled up on his couch shivering.  "Think you can keep these down?  They'll help with the fever"

 

"I don't know.", Peter confessed shakily.  It had been a long time since he'd been sick like this.

 

"Let's try a couple of crackers first.", Tony murmured before disappearing back into the kitchen to grab a roll of saltines.  After watching the boy nibble his way through at least three crackers, taking tentative sips of the soda in between, he could see him grow pale before as his face gave away how uncomfortable he was becoming.

 

"You gonna be sick?", Tony asked, readying himself to scoop up the trashcan and hand it to Peter.

 

"No.", Peter grimaced, as he scooted to the edge of the couch.  "I think, I think I need to use the bathroom.", he admitted with a slight blush rising to his cheeks, that wasn't from the fever.

 

"It's alright, kid.", Tony replied reassuringly.  "Take your time."  Peter just nodded and headed down the hall.  He'd stayed gone for a while and when he finally emerged, sweat had started forming on his brow.  Tony watch him flop back down onto the couch and sighed.  "Feeling any better?"

 

"No.  I didn't throw up though if that's what you're asking.", Peter muttered as he started to straighten out the blanket so he could crawl back under it.

 

"Here, let's take the pills first.", Tony said before Peter could fully lay himself back down.  He handed him the two large capsules and a fresh glass of soda to take them with. "Small sips." 

 

"Thank you, sir.", Peter mumbled as he laid his head down onto the pillows.

 

"You want to try to sleep?", the man asked in a hushed tone.  It was still early but if the kid was sick, he probably should sleep.  Besides, he would be less miserable that way.

 

"Mm-hmm.", Peter hummed into the pillow.

 

"I'll call May and tell her you're staying.", Tony whispered. He really didn't want to make the kid pack up and ride home feeling like he did.  Plus, he, surprisingly seemed to have it under control.  

 

"You don't have to do that, Mr. Stark.  I'm sure I'll be fine after I nap.", Peter tried to plea. He didn't want to put the man out. He'd already spent a good part of his evening sitting with him on the couch and feeding him crackers. 

 

"Nope. Wrong answer, Mr. Parker.", the man teased  "There will be no puking in my car."

 

"Fine.", Peter conceded because he really couldn't make any promises about that.  "I'll stay the night."

 

"That's more like it.", Tony shot back with a pleased smile, patting the kid gently on the shoulder.  Tony made himself comfortable in the chair beside Peter while he slept, only getting up once to make himself a sandwich. 

 

Peter had been asleep for nearly an hour and a half when his eyes shot open and he started frantically reaching for the trashcan.  As much as he would have rather gone to the toilet to throw up out of sight, there was no way his stomach was going to hold off that long. "Sorry, 'm sorry!", he gasped in between gags.  Though after the first one or two, there wasn't really anything left.

 

"It's fine, Pete, get it all out.", Tony soothed, as Peter continued to dry heave into the trashcan. 

 

By the time he'd thoroughly emptied his stomach for the third time that night, Peter's eyes were watering from the effort.  "Ugh!  I hate this.", he nearly shouted before his stomach lurched once more.  

 

"I don't think anyone likes it, Kiddo.", Tony replied, already walking to grab a water bottle and a wet paper towel from the kitchen. 

 

However, before he could return Peter was slowly rising from the couch and starting towards the hall bathroom again.  "I'll be right back.", he practically whined, hurrying in his steps.

 

While he was gone, Tony replaced the liner in the trashcan.  Then, acting on a hunch, he went to grab some anti-diarrheal tablets from the medical wing.  By the time he got back, Peter was back on the couch, sipping at the water bottle. "Here, take these too.  Hopefully, they'll stay down long enough to work.", Tony said, placing the tablets the boy's hand

 

"What is it?", Peter asked. He'd already taken the fever reducer and he was pretty sure his body would have had time to absorb it before he thrown up again.  

 

Tony tried to choose his words carefully so as to not embarrass the kid even though he had nothing to be embarrassed about.  He was sick for crying out loud.  But, remembering how the boy's cheeks had burned when he'd needed to use the bathroom the first time, he tried to remain vague.  "It's to help with the other stuff."

 

"Oh.  Yeah, okay, thanks, Mr. Stark.", Peter stammered as he swallowed the pills down without any more questions.  "I'm going back to sleep."

 

"Good plan, kiddo.", Tony murmured as he ran his hands through the boy's sweaty hair.  Peter remained blessedly asleep for another three hours before Tony had to wake him up for his next dose of fever reducer. He's considered skipping it but his temperature had risen to a number that was bordering on too hot so he reluctantly started to gently shake him awake.  "Hey, Hey, kid.  Wake up for me.", he whispered quietly towards his ear.  When Peter opened his eyes and blinked sleepily in his direction Tony smiled.  "Hey, there you are.  I need you to take another dose of your super Tylenol.", he whispered already helping the boy into a sitting position.  "You feeling good enough for that?"

 

"I don't know, Mr. Stark.", Peter mumbled.  He was tired.  His head was aching and his stomach had yet to settle completely.  

 

Setting the pills he'd been holding back on the table, Tony placed a hand on Peter's overly warm knee.  "We can wait a few minutes to see.  You need anything, Kid?"

 

"Maybe, Maybe some water or something?", Peter hesitantly requested.

 

"How about some Gatorade?  Electrolytes might help."

 

"Sure.", Peter sighed out tiredly.  He wanted to also say thank you when the man returned with the bottle of orange liquid but he couldn't get the words out of his mouth.  He just nodded his head in gratitude and started to slowly drink it down.   It didn't take much longer before he was regretting his decision to take in nearly half of the bottle.  

 

As Peter began to throw up yet again, Tony sighed.  The poor kid was having a rough time of it.  "Okay, so that's a solid 'no' on whether or not you're feeling any better, huh?", he asked with a small smile as he continued to pat the groaning and gagging boy's back. 

 

"I swear I'm dying...  It has to be poison... or something.", he sputtered out between the struggled heaves.  When they finally slowed to a stop he nearly cried. "Make it stop, Mr. Stark!"  

 

"I wish I could, Buddy.", Tony uttered in pure sympathy.  "If you think you're done, let's try the pills. I don't want that fever getting any higher."

 

Realizing that he had no idea what his temperature was he decided to ask.  "How high is it?"

 

"High enough that I'd like you to take some more Tylenol.", Tony replied in a humoring tone.  He didn't want to give the kid a number and have him starting to worry.  Not when there was nothing to be worried about at the moment. 

 

Trusting that Tony had it all under control, Peter nodded his head.  "Okay.", he whispered before swallowing down the pills with the smallest possible sip that would still get the pills down his throat.  When Tony urged him on, he took a few more small drinks.

 

"Here try to eat a least two crackers.  Probably don't want those pills in your stomach with nothing."  Once Peter had polished off the minimum, requested number of crackers Tony smiled.  "Alright, how about a bed?", the man suggested when the pills and crackers had stayed down for several minutes.

 

Peter agreed and Tony offered his hand to help him stand up.  After shucking the blanket off of his legs Peter took a few steps before considering that he had no idea where he was going.  He paused for a moment so that Tony could lead the way to what ended up being a guest bedroom just across from the bathroom he'd been using all night.  

 

He laid down on what had to have been the softest bed he'd ever had the pleasure of being in and quickly drifted off to sleep.  Though, he woke up sometime later already mid-gag.  Though he managed to get the trash can into his hand, he ended up throwing up what little contents his stomach had in it before getting it in front of himself.  Bile mixed with saliva and Gatorade, ran down his chin and onto the comforter before he could get the reciprocal in place.  Realizing he couldn't just go back to sleep in a bed covered in his own vomit and he had no idea where any clean blankets were he tried to call for his mentor. "Mr. Stark?", Peter whined before realizing that the man wasn't in the room. "FRIDAY can you get Mr. Stark?"  

 

It only took a few short moments for Tony to make an appearance in the doorway.  "Hey, I'm right here, Kiddo. What's wrong?", he asked, concern seeping into his tone.  It was too dark to see but it sounded like the kid was crying.

 

"I, I didn't mean to, I mean need a,  I...  I'm sorry.", Peter wavered as he tried to calm himself down enough to explain the situation.  He couldn't believe he'd ruined the man's expensive bed linens.

 

"Lights FRIDAY, but keep 'em low.", Tony, murmured hoping that some light would help him sort out what was going on with the boy.  Then, as soon as the lights got up to a decent level he could see the stain on the comforter and knew exactly why Peter was so worked up.   "Oh, Kid.  It's alright.  I got it."

 

"I'm sorry.  I tried to grab it in time...", Peter said gesturing to the can he had set on the bed beside himself. "... but it just... came up"

 

"It's fine.  We can switch out the comforter easy peasy.", Tony replied with a small smile.  It really wasn't a big deal.  He could have a new one delivered in a day or two if it didn't wash out. "Can you hop up for a minute?", Tony asked so that he could make sure nothing else needed to be changed.  "Looks like you might need a clean shirt too.  I'll go grab one of mine. Why don't you have a seat at the end of the bed until I get back?

 

"Actually, I need to use the bathroom." , Peter voiced as he began to shift slightly on his feet.  He hadn't realized how badly he needed to go until he stood up.

 

Tony's brows came together in concern. "You need more medicine?  You can take that one every hour if you need to."

 

"Oh no, not, not like that", Peter stated, his voice then dropping to a near whisper. "I just need to pee."

 

"Okay, that's good.", Tony said and he really meant that because if the kid needed to pee, that meant he wasn't completely dehydrated.  "Let me know if you need more later though, alright?"

 

"I will, Mr. Stark.", Peter said rushing out of the room before the man could see his cheeks heating up.

 

Shortly after getting back from his trip to the toilet, Tony walked into the room carrying a set of clothes and a clean comforter which he changed out immediately. "Bed's all set", he said the second he'd tugged the last corner over the edge of the bed.  "... and I have a t-shirt for you.  I also got you some sweat pants. I thought that would be more comfortable than jeans.  I should have done that earlier.  Sorry, Kiddo."

 

"It's okay.", Peter assured as took the clothing from his mentor's hands.  "Can I have something to drink, please, Mr. Stark?"

 

"Of course, let's go back to ginger ale this time, though.", Tony said with a wink.  The second he got back to the room, Peter was changed into the more comfortable clothing and sitting up in the bed, his eyes dropping. 

 

It didn't take long for Peter to finish nearly half of the glass.  He would have drunk more because he was still incredibly thirsty but his stomach felt too full to take any more in.  After a few moments, Tony asked him if was feeling okay.  "Yeah.  'M tired.", he sighed out.

 

"Go back to sleep.  I'm going to bed now too.  Call me if you need _anything._ ", Tony said, emphasizing the last bit.

 

Hearing that his mentor was heading to bed all of a sudden had Peter worrying about the time.  "What time is it?"

 

"Around two in the morning.", Tony answered honestly not realizing that it would turn Peter into an emotional mess.

 

"I'm _so sorry_!  I didn't realize what time it was, sir.  You were probably asleep and--"

 

"--Hey, hey, hey.  You're fine.  I'm glad you called me.  You didn't wake me up.  Even if you had, it would have been fine.", Tony insisted as he started brushing the boy's hair off of his sweaty forehead.  "Go to sleep, Yeah?  You're fine."

 

Peter managed to stay asleep for several more hours and was feeling marginally better by the time his mentor came to check on him around nine.  He hadn't thrown up anymore though he had made several trips the bathroom.  He knew he was going to have to ask for more medicine.  "Morning, Kiddo.  How was the rest of your night?"

 

"It was fine, Mr. Stark.", Peter said quietly as he made an attempt to sit up.  It felt like a lot of effort at the moment.

 

"Feeling okay?", the man asked as he brushed his hand over Peter's brow to gauge whether or not he still had a fever.  It seemed so, though not nearly as high as it had been the night before.

 

"My head hurts.", Peter granted deciding that he may as well be honest.  Besides, Tony already knew that he was sick and he really wanted the man to give him something for it.     

 

"We can work with that.  Anything else?", Tony asked already starting a mental list of everything he was going to need to collect to get the kid taken care of for the morning.  Apparently, they would be starting with some more Tylenol. The last dose had long since worn off.

 

Fidgeting with the blankets in his hands, Peter mumbled his next request.  "I, I might need some more of the, uh, the other pills too, please, sir."

 

"Not a problem, kid.", Tony said before rapidly changing the subject for the boy's sake.  "You want to try some toast and apple juice?"

 

"Yes, please.", Peter almost chirped which made Tony smile.  He wasn't used to seeing Peter so tired and anguished. He missed his happy kid.   Then he was pulled from his thoughts as the boy said his name. "Mr. Stark?  Can I go back to the couch?"

 

"Of course.", Tony happily agreed before gesturing beside the bed.  "Bring that bucket with you, just in case, yeah?"  Peter slid out of bed and did as he was asked.  He was soon comfortably seated and watching whatever documentary was playing on the discovery channel at the moment.  He could hear his mentor in the kitchen and couldn't help but feel grateful that the man hadn't sent him home. He would have been miserable by himself until eleven when May got home.

 

When the man entered the living room with his toast, juice and an assortment of medication Peter accepted it graciously and smiled. "That's for letting me stay and, you know, taking care of me.", he expressed with genuine gratitude.

 

"It's no problem, Kid.", Tony said, before laughing lightly.  "You know, you're a part of a _very exclusive_ club now.  I don't play nurse for just anybody."

 

"I'm sure.", Peter laughed lightly, cringing when the effort hurt his seemingly sore abdomen 

 

By the time one o'clock rolled around, Peter had taken a few dozy naps and was feeling much better.  So much better, that his stomach was starting to growl, leading Tony to send him a very amused look.  "So you need some soup or something?", he asked with a small laugh.  When Peter said that he did, Tony was elated.  That meant they _had_ to be past the worst of it.

 

Eating soup together on the couch, Tony looked Peter over.  He already looked better.  He was smiling, there was color to his cheeks and was questioning half of the facts being given by the man on the television who was talking endlessly about stars.  "I'm sorry I messed up our lab time, Mr. Stark.  Can I come back next Friday to make it up?", Peter eventually asked.

 

"You have nothing to be sorry for, kid, and I figured you could just stay one more night and we could maybe have a little lab time tomorrow if you feel up to it.  You should take it easy today though. 

 

Really, sir?", Peter questioned with a wide grin.  "You would let me stay another night?"

 

"Yep.  I already called May and everything, she said it's fine.  I'll take you home before dinner."

 

"That sounds awesome, Mr. Stark."

 

"Of course it is, because _I'm_ awesome.", The man quipped as he moved to sit directly beside Peter, a teasing grin spreading across his face.  "...but, _just so you know_ , next time you want a sleepover?  _All you have to do is ask_.  No need to puke your way into one, yeah?"  

 

Peter agreed with a small laugh and sighed contentedly.  Tony _really was awesome_... and he was grateful to have him there to take care of him when he needed it.  

 


End file.
